NBC News mocked after mistaking Kevin Hart for Usain Bolt

A photo of Kevin Hart was mistakenly used in a social media post by NBC. Photos / Getty Images, AP

A news outlet is under fire after it appeared to mistake Kevin Hart for Usain Bolt.

Both men have recently made headlines for Covid-19, Bolt after he tested positive for the virus and Hart for revealing he had the virus earlier this year.

However, a tweet from NBC News mistakenly included a picture of Hart - and readers and journalists heavily criticised the now-deleted post, according to The New York Post.

"Is there nobody Black on the @NBC News social staff?", reporter Marlon Walker questioned. "That is not @usainbolt. It's @KevinHart4real. As journalists, our credibility is everything."

"Among other things, there's about two feet of difference between Usain Bolt and Kevin Hart," another Twitter user pointed out.

Is there nobody Black on the @NBCNews social staff? That is not @usainbolt. It’s @KevinHart4real.

As journalists, our credibility is everything. pic.twitter.com/ep5g7KuN2D

— Marlon A. Walker (@marlonawalker) August 25, 2020

That is embarrassing. Do better @NBCNews

— Mandy St. Amand (@mandystlpd) August 25, 2020

Hart himself responded to the mistake on Instagram, calling out the clear difference in height the pair have.

He wrote: "I must of gotten really fast & tall overnight," he posted. "I want to take advantage of this moment & race anybody in the world ... P.S this is Disrespectful on so many levels ... All you can do is laugh. Maybe the Covid 19 shrunk his legs & torso."

NBC said the error was due to a technical issue.

View this post on Instagram

No comment 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️.....I must of gotten really fast & tall overnight....I want to take advantage of this moment & race anybody in the world. We can bet whatever....Shit just got real. I am also no longer doing comedy due to my Olympic training schedule....IM BACK BITCHES!!!!!! 🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️ P.S this is Disrespectful on so many levels....All you can do is laugh. Maybe the Covid 19 shrunk his legs & torso 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️😂😂😂

A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Aug 25, 2020 at 10:18am PDT

"In the content management system, a social image was not selected, and the system reverted to an image of Hart from an unrelated video," an editor's note read.

Hart revealed he contracted the virus "around the same time as Tom Hanks."

He said during Dave Chappelle's socially-distanced comedy show: "The problem is that I had it around the same time as Tom Hanks. And I couldn't say anything because he's more famous than I am.

And Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medallist tested positive for the virus following his 34th birthday celebrations. Bolt said on social media he has quarantined himself and is "taking it easy".